Variable pitch propeller



Nov. 24, 1931. A. F. THoMEs 1,833,059

VARIABLE FITCH PROPELLER Filed oct. 2o, 195o i di@ l 1s/ 'H' P l i il ,f3/3L 1 34 *T l I 39 JL .1 jl 2- y I 'U39 y rL( l l 3g u I l n 39 |l l i 33 L l 36 '/5? Jl l l fg 1 I 35 E tt 29 if 2g 1 32 Il 32 17 H 15 Je?? QLBERT Fzefmmv THonEn. his @Meme/13A Vll . rom a remote provide Patentedl Nov. 24, 19371,

ALBERT FREEMAN' THONES, OF JACKSONVILLE,

FLORIDA.'

VARIABLE FITCH PROPELLER Application mcd ctober 20, 1930. Serial No. 489,845.

This invention relates to new and useful im rovements in a variable pitch propeller. 'lille invention has for an object the provision of a propeller with blades which may be adjusted to variable pitches either right or left. v

The invention has for a further object` the provision :of a propeller with blades formed from a plurality of adjacent transverse blade sections, and means for simultaneously adjusting the relative positions of thesesectilois to -each other to vary the pitches f the The invention also proposes the provision of a master rod for determining the pivoting point of the various blade sections and side rods for adjustments to hold the blade sections in various pivoted positions upon the master rod.

This invention has for a further object the provision of a control for holding the side rods in various adjusted positions operable point. It is another object a knob with a pointer lacting' over a scale to direct the adjustment of the control for the adjustment 4of the pitch of the blades.

Another object of this invention is to provide a means to move the side bars to adjust the pitch of the blade and said means to include a control plate pivoted on the master rod and engaging the side rods so that upon motion to move the side rods in opposite directions.

:It is a further object of this invention to -provide a device of the class mentioned which 1s of simple, durable construction, dependable 1n use and ecient inaction, and which can'be manufactured and sold at a reasonable A cost.

material part of this disclosure For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advanta s thereof, reference will be had to the ge description and accompanying drawings, an to t e appended claims in whichpthe various ticularlyy set forth.

In the' accompanying'gdrawiiigs forming each 1blade radially of this invention to 'has to be point.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a variable pitch propeller constructed according to`l` this invention.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevational view of Fig. 1. Fi 3 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 55 2 looing in the direction of the line 3 3.

Fig. 4 is a fra entary horizontal sectional view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View taken on the line 5 5 of Fig. 4, and 60 Fig. 6 is a transverse sectional view taken j on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4.

The variable pitch propeller comprises a hub 10 for attachment upon the shaft 11 of a motor, not shown on the drawings, blades '65 12 radially supported on the hub 10 and each consisting'of a plurality of adjacent transverse blade sections 13, a master rod'14 for and rigidly projecting from the hub 10 and extending through the` 70 longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally support the blade sections, a pair of side rods 15 for each blade and on opposite sides of the master rod 14 and in a plane through said lon itudinal center line and divergin from t eir inner to their outer ends andgrotatively supported on the hub 10 to move about the axis of the hub, a con#v trol plate 16 pivotally mounted on said master j bar 14 and engaging the side rods 15 to pivot `80 and move the side rods simultaneously in opposite directions for changing in degrees the itch and contour of the blade, and means or simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various pivoted ositlons. The hub 10 consists o two'cup sections 17 and a centralv plate 18 between the cup sections, all seeured together by bolts 19. -The attachment of the hub upon the shaft 11 should be accom lished b a'key from the 90 shaft engaging t e centra plate section, 18, but since'key connections are old the details are not shown on the drawings.` The blade sections 13 are 'of different outer contours so in the form of a conventional pro- W peller, that is, at the extremities they are narrow and gradually expand .until at the base they are of substantial width. An inspection of Figs. 2, 4 and 6' will clearly show this me rpject from the central attached upon the extre the bracket 34.

Themasterrods14areintegralwithand plate section 18. e cups 17 are open at the sides so that such projection is possible. The outer ends of the master rods are rolmd and extend through circular holes in the blade sections 13 so as to pivotally support them. The middle and inner ends of the master bar 14 broaden out as indicated by reference numeral 20 in Fig. 4, but the blade sections 13 are formed with openings of sufficiently large sizes so that the sections may pivot thereon. The side rods 15 are round along their complete lengths and engage in elongated apertures in the sections 13 to allow relative movements. In Figs. 2 and 6 it will be noticed that the pair of side rods 15 are in a plane which also includes the master rod 14. End caps 21 are 'ties of the master barr14 and on the side rods 15 so as to hold the propeller sections in place.

The rotative supporting of the side rods 15 upon the hub is accomplished by the motor shaft 11 being reduced at its end which passes through the hub, as clearly shown in Fig. 5,V

and supporting collars 22 positioned within the cup sections 17 of the hub on opposite sides of the central section 18 and supporting rings 23 rotative on the collars and within the cup sections 17 and integral with the side rods 15. Thecontrol plate 16 formed with a segmental opening 24 receiving the control bar 14, and so arranged that the apex 25 of the segmental opening engages one of the edges of the master bar 14 and the other edge is adapted to swing in an arc about the apex. The sides of the segmental opening Y limit the amplitudeof motion of the control plate. On opposite sides of the apex of the opening 24, slots 26 are formed which engage the side of the rods 15 so that when the control plate 16 is pivoted, the side rods will be moved.

The means for simultaneously adjusting the control plates 16 to various pivoted positions comprises a plate member V27 slidably mounted upon the shaft 11 and formed with a grooved collar 28 receiving a fork 29 from a slide 30. Lugs 31 project from the plate member 21 and pivotally connect with links 32 connected at their other ends with the control plates 16. These-links are arranged on opposite sides of the propeller blades, as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that upon motion the various blades forming the -propeller will be adjusted simultaneously. The slide 30 is supported by tracks 33 mounted upon a bracket 34 for attachment upon the casing of the motor having the said shaft 11.

A. tubular member 35 is attached upon slide 30 and is threadedly'engaged by a screw member 36 ixed rupon a rod 37 rotatively and non-slidably mounted in a projection 38 from The rotative and non-slidable mounting is accomplished by collars 39 the lixed upon the rod 37 on opposite sides of the projection 38. The rod 37 may extend to any point, such as to the of the operator of the motor. At this point it is provided with a knob 40 having a pointer 41 acting upon a scale 42. As shown on the drawings, the scale is shown formed on a panel 43 projecting from the bracket 34.

The operation of the device may be traced by auming it in the condition as shown on the drawings. It should be noticed that the side rods 15 are in a vertical plane which also passes through the master bar 14. To change the pitch of the blades of the propeller, the knob 40 should be turned any desirable amount as directed by the pointer 41 and the scale 42. The turning of the knob will be transmitted to rotate the threaded member 36 and move the tubular member 35 upwards or downwards. This allows a change to form a right or left hand propeller. Motion from the hlbular member is transmitted to the slide 30 and hence to the slidable 'plate member 27.

As the plate member 27 movesfthis motion -will be transmitted to the links 32 and the control plate 16." The control plate of one of the blades will be pivoted in one direction and the other blade in the other direction, as is necessary to maintain the correct form of the propeller. As the control plates pivot, they will move about the apex 24 as a center to positions as indicated by the crossed dot and dash lines 43 in 5. Consequently7 the slots 26 will move the side bars 15. tothe positions indicated by the dot and dash circles in Fig. 5. The rings 23 will rotate upon the collars 22 so as to allow the pivoting of the side rods 15. Such motion of the side rods will cause the various blade sections 13 to spread in fan-like fashion as lthey7 rotate about master bar 14 and thus the contour. of the blade will be changed so that the pitch is varied. Since the side rods 15 diverge from their inner to their outer ends. the outer ends will move through larger distances than the inner ends and cause greater turning of the outer sections 13 than the inner sections, producing a warp of different degrees depending;r upon the degree of adjustment of the propeller. In Fig. 6 dot and dash lines 44 indicate a pivoted position' of the iiat tips of the blades either towards the right or towards the left. Angle A in this figure indicates the pitch angle' which varies according to the adjustments.

While I have illustrated and described my invention with some degree of particularity, I realize that in practice various alterations therein may be made. right and privilege of changing the form of the details of construction or otherwise altering the arrangement of the correlated parts without departing from the spirit or the scope of the lappended claims.

I therefore reserve the Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is LVA variable pitch propeller, comprising a hub for attachment on the shaft of a motor, blades radially supported on said hub and each consisting of adjacent transverse sections, a master rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and extends ing through the longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally support the sections, a pair of side rodsfor each blade on opposite -sides of said master bar and in a plane .through said longitudinal center line and rotatively supported on the hub to move about the axis of the hub, a control plate pivotal on said master bar and engaging said side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultanedegrees the pitch and contour of the blade, and means for simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various pivoted positions.

2. A Variable pitch propeller, comprising a hub for attachment on the shaft of a motor. blades radially supported on said hub andeach consisting ot' adjacent transverse sections, a masterv rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and extending through the longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally' support the sections, a pair of side rods for each blade on opposite' sidesHof said master bar and in a plane through said longitudinal center line and rotatively supported on the hub to move about the axis of the hub, a control plate pivotal on said master bar and engagingsaid side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultaneously iny opposite directions forchanging in degrees the pitch and contour of the blade, and means for simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various pivoted positions, said transverse blade sections being of different contours so that thel blade may be narrow at the outer ends and of substantial width at the inner ends as is conventional inpropeller blade designs.

3. A variable pitch propeller, comprising l a hub for attachment on the shaft of a motor, blades radially supported on said hub and each consisting of adjacent' transverse see'- tions, a master rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and eX- tending through the longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally support the sections, a pair of side rods for each blade on opposite sides of said master bar `and in a plane through said longitudinal center line and rotatively supported on the hub to move about the axis of the hub, a control plate' pivotal 8 on said master bar and engaging said side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultaneously in opposite directions for changing .in degrees the pitch and contour of the blade, and means for simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various pivoted positions,

ously vin opposite directions for changing inv said hub comprising cup sections clamped against a central plate section, and bolts holding these parts together.

4. A'Variable pitch propeller, comprising a hub for attachment on the shaft of a mo` tor, blades radially supported on Asaid hub and each consisting of adjacent transverse sections, a master rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and extending through line of the blade to pivotally support the sec-l tions, a pair of side rods for each blade on opposite sides of said master bar' and in a plane through said longitudinal center line and rotativcly supported on the hub to move about the axis of the hub, a control platev pivotal on said master bar and engaging said side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultaneously in opposite directions for changing in degrees the pitch and contour of the blade, and means for simultaneously adjusting said control'plates in various pivoted positions, said hub comprising cup Isections clamped against a central plate section, and bolts holding these parts together, and said master rod projecting from said central p ate section. f

5. A variable pitch propeller, comprising a hub for lattachment on the shaft of a motor, blades radially supported on said hub and cach consisting of adjacent transverse sections, a master rod for each blade radially `and rigidly projecting from said hub and extending through the longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally support the sections, a pair of vside rods for each blade on opposite sides of said master bar and in a plane through said longitudinal center` line and rotatively supported on the hub to movel about the axis of the hub, a control plate pivotal on said master bar and engaging said side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultaneously in opposite directions for changing in degrees the pitch and contour of the blade. and means for simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various pivoted positions, said hub comprising cup sec- Y tions clamped against aA central plate section, and bolts holding these parts together, and said Imaster rod projecting from said central plate section, the side rods projecting from rings rotatively mounted on collars Within the cup sections of the hub.

6. A variable .pitch propeller, comprising a hub for attachment on the shaft of a motor, blades radially supported on said Vhub and each consisting of adjacent transverse sections, a master rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and extending through the longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally support the sections, a pair of side rods :for e'ch blade on opposite sides of said master bar and in a plane through said longitudinal center line and rotatively supported on the hub to move the longitudinal center f isa about the axis of the hub, a control plate pivotal on said master bar and engaging sai side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultaneously in opposite directions for changing in degrees the lpitch and contour of the blade` and means for simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various piv oted positions, said control plates being formed with segmental openings with apexes engaging against one of the sides of the master rod. to constitute pivot points for the plates, and with slots on opposite sides of these apex-members receiving said side bars for moving the side bars in opposite direc tions upon pivoting the control plates.

7. A variable pitch propeller, comprising a hub for attachment on the shaft of a motor, blades radially supported on said hub and each consisting'of adjacent transverse sections, a master rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and extending through the longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally support the sections, a. pair of side rods for each blade on opposite sides of said master bar and in a plane through said longitudinal center line and rotatively supported on the hub to move about the axis of the hub, a control plate pivotal on said master bar and engaging said side rods to pivot and movethe side rods simultaneouslyin opposite directions for changing in degrees the pitch and contour of the blade, and means for simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various pivoted .positions comprising a. plate slidably supported and provided with lugs pivotally connecting with links pivotally connecting with said control plates, and a means for changing the position of said plate.

S. A variable pitch propeller, comprising a hub for attachment on the shaft of a motor, blades radially supported on said hub and yeach consisting of adjacent transverse sections, a master rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and extending through the longitudinal center line of the blade to pivotally' support the sections,

a pair of side rods for each blade on oppo site sides of said master bar and in a plane through said longitudinal center line and rotative'ly supported on the hub to move about the axis of the hub, a control plate pivotal on said master bar and engaging said side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultaneously in opposite directions for changing in degrees the pitch and contour of the blade,

and means for simultaneously adjusting saidV control plates in various plvoted posltlons comprising a plate slidably supported and jwovidcd with lugs pivotally connecting with links pivotally connecting with said control plates. and a means for changing the position of said plate comprising a slide with a forked end engaging a groove formed in a collar connected with said plate, a'tubular member attached to said slide, a threaded member d threadedly engaglngin said tubular member,

a rod non-slidab y ut rotativel supported and connected mth said threa ed r, and aknob on said rod for rotation of the 9. A variable pitch propeller, comprising a hub for attachment ou the shaft of a. motor, blades radially 'su ported on said hub and `eacl1 consisting o adjacent transverse sections, a master rod for each blade radially and rigidly projecting from said hub and extending through the longitudinal center line o f the blade to pivotally support the sections, a pair of side rods for each blade on opposite sides of said master bar and in a plane throu h said longitudinal center line and rotative y supported on the hub to move about the axis of the hub, a control plate pivotal on said master bar and engaging sald side rods to pivot and move the side rods simultaneously in opposite directions for changing in degrees the pitch and contour of the blade, and means for simultaneously adjusting said control plates in various pivoted positions comprising a plate slidably supported and provided with lugs pivotally connecting with links pivotally connecting with said control plates, and a means for changing the position of said plate comprising a slide with a forked end enga g a groove formed in a collar connec with said plate, a tubular member attached to said slide, a. threaded member threadedly engagin in said tubular member, a rod nonslidab y but rotatively supported and connected with said threaded member, and a knob on said rod for rotation of the rod, said knob being provided with a pointer acting over a scale to direct the adjustments.

Signed at Jacksonville in the county of Duval and State of Florida this 2nd day of October, A. D. 1930.

lALBERT FREEMAN THOMES. 

